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Kessler Foundation Funds a Project Aiming to Improve Employment for People with Disabilities

Los Angeles Lawyer — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 19:52:01 +0000

Kessler Foundation is one of the biggest public charities when it comes to helping people with disabilities. The organization works to improve the quality of life of disabled people.

Recently, the said charity foundation granted the University of Hawaii a Signature Employment Grant with an amount of $425,000 as a part of more than $2.7 million in 2011 to its Office of Research Services. Since 2005, Kessler has awarded more than $20 million to the innovative employment initiatives.

The grant will support the development of a virtual reality (VR) software application which will be called EmployAble. It aims to help jobseekers to journey across the world of job hunting and adapt to the workplace. The Virtual Employment Orientation and Support Center will benefit people with disabilities, including veterans and victims of traumatic brain injury. EmployAble will be created by the University’s team of researchers which mostly comprises of disabled persons. The University of Hawaii Center on Disability Studies, Abilicorp and Virtual Ability will collaborate on this project.

Meanwhile, Kessler foundation is also doing its own study about clinical virtual reality for rehabilitation applications.

EmployAble is expected to draw on new components of commercial VR software programs from Multiple User Virtual Environments (MUVE) to Second Life (SL) and Virtual World Simulation (SIM). Employable will simulate workplace social interactions and present generally used assistive technology such as screen readers, captioning video programs, creation of accessible document, presentation programs and use of accessible features like VoiceThread and Adobe Flash and Text-to-speech software

Many disabled persons are suffering from employment disabilities. Through this two year grant provided by Kessler, problem regarding high rate of unemployment and underemployment of disabled people is expected to be resolved.

This project will make an improvement to the quality of life of the people with spinal cord and head injury, multiple sclerosis, stroke and other neurological problems.

It is indeed illegal for a company to reject a job applicant due to a person’s disabilities, but still a lot of employers do and for that, employment disability is becoming a huge problem in the society. Employment discrimination due to an individual’s physical or mental disability is illegal. Under the Americans with Disability Act and Fair Employment and Housing Act, such sort of discrimination is precluded.

Los Angeles Fire Department to Pay Approximately $500,000 to Settle Sexual Harassment

Los Angeles Lawyer — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 22:04:01 +0000

The Los Angeles Fire Department is about to pay nearly $500,000 to settle a sexual harassment lawsuit filed by one of its employees at the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).

For twenty-six long years, Anthony Almeida served the community of Los Angeles under the Los Angeles Fire Department. In 2007, he filed a sexual harassment lawsuit at the EEOC against the Fire Department.

In his lawsuit, Almeida stated how his fellow worker mocked him, used explicit words and called him sexual nicknames after they learned about the sexual abuse that Almeida suffered from a Catholic Church.

Despite Almeida’s repeated complaint to the management of the said Fire Department, all his efforts were proved null and vain. During their investigation regarding Almeida’s complaint, the EEOC found out that the Fire Department failed to sufficiently accommodate the complaints

It was proven in the lawsuit that the Fire Department violated the Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The EEOC found a reasonable cause to believe that a violation of the law occurred.

To avoid further litigations, the Fire Department has agreed to enter a three-year conciliation agreement with the EEOC and Almeida, who is represented by his private lawyer.

Many people do not understand what comprises sexual harassment. In truth and in fact, apart from unwanted touching and comments, sexual harassment and discrimination also include dubious images display, sexual nature comments and gesture even though not totally directed to a person but are made in their presence.

In Almeida’s case, he made a wise decision by securing his own private defender in addition to the protection provided by the EEOC. Having the EEOC which provides extensive protection against harassments and discrimination for all types of employees and having Los Angeles lawyers who have dealt with hundreds of such cases of sexual harassment is a good combination.

Hazarduos Rainy Season – Tips for California Drivers

Los Angeles Lawyer — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 22:55:47 +0000

Our email newsletter, the Mesriani Law Digest – January edition has been released. One of the articles there talks about What California Drivers Should Know to Avoid Accidents during this Rainy Season – and this is of course to avoid personal injuries.

Rains bring about slippery roads and poor visibility which do not only cause accidents by themselves, but also aggravate common causes of car accidents.

Horseshoe Casino Likely to Face Construction Liability after Collapse

Los Angeles Lawyer — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 22:10:33 +0000

The Horseshoe Casino in Cincinnati is likely to face construction liability claim after it collapsed and injured several workers.

According to police and emergency crews who responded, the incident happened at around 8:00 a.m. on Friday.

Workers who have witnessed the accident said that while their co-workers were pouring a 60×60 feet bay of concrete, a steel portion of the structure collapsed. As a result, a concrete fell 25 feet down to their co-workers.

A total of 24 workers who sustained injuries were rushed to various hospitals in Ohio via ambulance and private vehicles. Twenty injured workers were taken to University hospital; two were delivered to Good Samaritan Hospital, and one to Bethesda North Hospital. Meanwhile, no fatalities were reported, and all injuries sustained by the victims were all minor, according to the hospitals’ representatives. The victims were released from the hospital on the same day as their injuries were minor – lacerations and broken bones.

The incident was first investigated by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) followed by the Cincinnati City Building Department.

The casino officials were present in the accident site during the investigation, while, Rock Gaming, LCC with Steven Rosenthal expressed their sympathy to the victims. In a press release, they conveyed that the operation in the construction site will only resume after the OSHA pronounce safety and security of the workplace.

The extensive field of construction liability involves complex laws and procedures, and requires substantial expertise to get the best results. An expert Los Angeles attorney who possesses sufficient experience in dealing with similar case would be best to consult.

Court Judge Rules Over Two Pit Bulls after Dog Bite Incident

Los Angeles Lawyer — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 21:06:51 +0000

A municipal court judge in Longview, Texas ruled over on two pit bulls last Friday after an animal attack incident.

The said animal attack happened at 2300 block of South 12th Street at about 1:10 in the afternoon last January 6 when an animal control officer named Jacqueline Lynch was trying to take a free pit bull into custody at the residence. According to a Longview dispatcher’s report, as Lynch was taking the pit bull, another pit bull from the backyard jumped off to her and both dogs attacked her. Lynch ran to a house across the street owned by the 72-year old Helen Williams to seek protection.

Lynch sustained dog bites on her hands according to Longview Development Services Director Kevin Cummings.

The town officials are determining which of the two dogs bit Lynch. Either dog was quarantined for ten days. The dogs were brought to the Humane Society of Northeast Texas.

Williams said that the dogs’ owner is out of town. Lynch further added that she had seen those two dogs several times while their owner was training them to hunt for raccoons. Some other witnesses from the neighborhood agreed that the dogs show aggressiveness beforehand but, to their knowledge, had not attacked any humans.

The court judge declared the pit bulls “dangerous” and they can only be returned to their owner once they meet certain conditions.

Though people hate to think negative things about their own pets or those of others, the truth still remains that even the gentlest cat or mildest dog can attack anybody and can cause an injury.

An animal attack may be less common than a vehicle accident. However, it doesn’t mean that it can never cause serious injuries. Therefore, a Los Angeles dog bite lawyer is always reminding the residents especially dog owners to be more responsible in breeding and training their dogs.

$1 Million Granted to Family of Former Town Official for Wrongful Death Claim

Los Angeles Lawyer — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 21:37:38 +0000

A jury awarded the family of a former Windham supervisor with more than a million dollars for a wrongful death claim filed against an Albany hospital last Thursday.

Thomas P. Meeham had been one of the known supervisors in Windham, New York and was re-elected as a town official nineteen times. While doing his role as a public servant with the community, Meehan also worked as a carpenter until he came into Albany Medical Center Hospital for a hip replacement on November 11, 2009.

The day after his surgery, Meehan still managed to walk but over the next two days, he had experienced events of dyspnea, a condition referring to the difficulty in breathing. He died the following day.

The family’s wrongful death attorney said those symptoms that Meehan had experienced are a sign that he is in the early stage of having pulmonary embolism. It is a condition wherein the main artery of the lung or one of its branches is blocked by a substance that has traveled through the bloodstream from somewhere else in the body. A blood clot from the deep veins in the legs usually cause pulmonary embolism.

In their lawsuit, the family affirmed that Meehan’s attending physician – Dr. Aniko Felligi failed to request scans that could have determined the blood clots. Meehan could have survived from his seizure if he was administered with an anticoagulant.

The jury granted the family with a total of $1.4 million for economic damages, which included the decedent’s future earnings and the value of tasks he may have done.

The award value for the family’s wrongful death claim is higher than expected and the Los Angeles injury attorneys see the court’s decision engaging.

The Santa Monica Chamber of Commerce welcomes Mesriani Law Group’s Membership

Los Angeles Lawyer — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 20:23:27 +0000

The Santa Monica Chamber of Commerce has welcomed the Mesriani Law Group in its roster of advocates. With the intention of further expanding its role in the community, the law firm has decided to become an official member of the Chamber mid-January this year.

Through the affiliation of Mesriani Law Group with the Santa Monica Chamber of Commerce, the former would have the opportunity to strengthen its partnership with local businesses, government, and community-based organizations in Santa Monica for the benefit of the development of the legal services sector in California.

High-caliber Los Angeles lawyers of Mesriani Law Group are very much accessible to efficiently and diligently help out victims of personal injury accidents and employment discrimination, as well as social security disability benefit claimants residing in Santa Monica.

Washington Dairy Product Manufacturer Recalls Raw Milk before Product Liability Claim Arise

Los Angeles Lawyer — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 21:31:35 +0000

A dairy product manufacturer in Tenino, Washington conducted a product recall on all of its raw milk for the possibility of E-coli contamination.

The Frisia Dairy and Creamery immediately recalled its raw milk after the January 17 issue released by the Washington State Department of Agriculture stating that the dairy’s raw milk product was contaminated with a dangerous strain of E-coli.

Though the strain of E-coli on a skim milk product was found only within this month’s routine sampling conducted by the agency, the dairy’s product recall included all expiration dates.

At present, no illnesses related to the milk product have been reported. However, the dairy voluntarily initiated a product recall right before the possibility of any product liability claim.

The dairy has been cooperative with the Department of Agriculture. While the investigation determining the main source of the problem is still ongoing, the dairy notified all consumers and is currently removing all their raw milk products from its 8 retail outlets in Lewis, Thurston and Pierce counties.

According to the said news released by the WSDA, the E-coli was not found in other product samples collected at the same time nor has been found in the past routine monthly samples collected from the dairy.

Frisia has been operating for a couple of years, manufacturing unpasteurized fluid milk products like whole, skim and cream but it just started selling raw milk for more than three months. Now, one of the dairy’s co-owner – Anita De Boer said that they made a big risk when they decided to market raw milk and so now the dairy is thinking of shipping their milk to a processor for pasteurization.

The dairy is calling the attention of customers who bought its raw milk products to return the same for a full refund.

Frisia apparently held itself liable for any product liability claim that may arise. However, it doesn’t always gothat way. In the event that the manufacturer denied its liabilities in case of product defects, a claimant may get the right support for his or her claim through the help of an expert lawyer. In Los Angeles, product liability lawyers can prove the defective nature of any product and bring a claim to a sure win.

EEOC Urges Employers to Eliminate Unnecessarily Broad Background Check Policies on Applicants

Los Angeles Lawyer — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 22:56:47 +0000

Under the Equal Employment Opportunity Commissions’ press release, the agency is urging employers to eliminate unnecessary broad background checks after discovering hundreds of applicants filing for racial discrimination charges. All of these resulted from the criminal background checks done by a beverage company in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

The EEOC recently found out that over 300 Africans-Americans are harshly affected by the Pepsi Beverages, formerly known as Pepsi Bottling Group. It occurred when the company conducted a criminal background policy check that disproportionately rejected black applicants for employment.

Under Pepsi’s former policy, applicants who have been arrested or convicted of certain minor offenses shall be denied employment. However, this contradicts the Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, where the use of arrest and conviction records to deny employment can be unlawful when it is not relevant for the job since it can limit the opportunities of the applicants or workers based on their race.

In the course of events, the said Beverage Company has agreed with the EEOC in modifying their policies thus adopting the new one. However, the aforementioned company is still required to pay all the monetary fines and other penalty charges set against them.

The EEOC Minneapolis Acting Director, Julie Schmid reminds employers that when conducting a background check, the nature and gravity of the offense of the applicant must be taken into consideration. More over the time that has passed since the conviction or completion of the sentence and the nature of the job in search must also be dealt with proper jurisdiction to make sure that job rejection is important for the particular position. She also added that such rejection can be considered as racial discrimination, a violation of the Title VII. In behalf of the EEOC, Acting Director Schmid hopes that employers with unnecessarily broad criminal background check policies would reassess their policies in order to comply with the provisions stated under Title VII.

The EEOC is expecting that employers would take note of their settlement agreement with Pepsi regarding on its strict qualifications in order to eliminate employment discrimination and establish equal employment opportunities for everyone.

In Pepsi’s case, the EEOC is grateful that Pepsi chooses to make an agreement in setting some real great changes without the need of further litigation. In some cases, employers usually oppose employment discrimination claims by trying to fabricate reasons for the employment action. Therefore, an employee filing for complaints must be sure that his or her lawyer is familiar with the tricks that employers do. Los Angeles Employment lawyers know very well on how to utilize their knowledge regarding laws when employment discrimination cases arises such as these.

Hit-and-run Driver Who Seriously Injured Woman in Green County Finally Surrenders

Los Angeles Lawyer — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 21:54:10 +0000

The driver who is believed to have caused the vehicle accident that killed a pedestrian last January 1 in Green County, Pennsylvania has surrendered to police.

The driver, 22–year-old Maris Chandler, is accused of hit–and–run charge as he struck and dragged to death Chelsea Robison. The accident occurred at Pit Gas Road in Jefferson Township, Pennsylvania.

According to reports, right after the accident, Chandler jumped out of the car to flee in fear for his life, while Robinson sustained life-threatening injuries and was brought to a nearby hospital. Few days after the incident, Chandler finally showed up himself and surrendered to the authorities.

According to Chandler’s vehicle accident lawyer, Blaine Jones, the driver never intended to escape but he panicked after a racially motivated crowd attacked him ripping off his clothes. The attorney has said that the crowd called Chandler with racially discriminating names and threatened him.

Robinson’s mother is claiming that Chandler’s car struck into his daughter causing the woman to fell on the ground. Furthermore, she said that when her daughter was getting up, Chandler struck her again causing Robinson to roll under the car.

This is a very complicated story of a vehicle accident which involves racial discrimination concerns. Well, Chandler must wish for his win in this case which involves other relevant issues. It is imperative for him to have the smartest attorney in order for him to strengthen his defense.

In California, car accident victims should always be supported by an experienced and skilled Los Angeles personal injury attorney so as to ensure that justice would be serve just in time.